Tan Jee Say saddened by SM Goh’s personal attacks on him

SDP candidate for Holland-Bukit Timah, Mr Tan Jee Say, said he is saddened by remarks made by his former boss, Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong who has resorted to the usual PAP ‘smear tactics’ to destroy his credibility.

Mr Tan is the former principal private secretary of then DPM Goh Chok Tong from 1985 to 1990 after which he left the Administrative Service to join investment bank Morgan Grenfell Asia, before moving into fund management.

Speaking during a PAP rally at Marine Parade last night, SM Goh said that Mr Tan left the civil service for the private sector because he did not make the cut to become a permanent secretary.

“He was an able, hardworking principal private secretary, but I did not think he would make it as a Permanent Secretary,” SM Goh added.

In a reply to Channel News Asia during a walkabout this morning, Mr Tan rebuked SM Goh’s allegations, explaining that it was never his mission in life to remain in public service and he resigned with SM Goh’s blessings.

“I said, okay, I can help you. But for how long? He said, three to five years. I said, well Mr Goh, you know my intention is not to stay in the civil service. If it is three to five years, if at the end of it, I want to go, will you let me go? He said, yes.”

Mr Tan said he was saddened by the comments from SM Goh and hinted that it may cause the PAP to lose votes.

“I have given five of my best years in my career to Mr Goh, and I did not expect such comments from him. I wish he had not gone down to the personal level. I met a young lady at this market, and she said after reading this morning’s report on his personal attack on me, she is more determined to vote for me.”

PAP leaders have been indulging in ‘gutter politics’ to character assassinate their opponents instead of debating them on public policies.

Just a few days ago, PAP candidate for Holland-Bukit Timah GRC Dr Vivian Balakrishnan tried unsuccessfully to paint his opponent Dr Vincent Wijeysingha as harboring a ‘gay agenda’ and has to back out after being lambasted by netizens for doing so.

The SDP team in Holland-Bukit Timah GRC faces an uphill task in defeating the incumbents.

With the two opposition MPs contesting in GRCs, the PAP is likely to make a clean sweep of all 82 contested seats on 7 May and Singaporeans may have no elected opposition MP to speak up for them for the first time since 1981.

Adriansaid

hanbertsaid

I think it will be a great thing, and I respect the 2 MPs for doing so. Yes, I have enough of all the fire in pre-election and usual 2 MPs in opposition. Singaporean need to know now that either they act or forget about it.. if we are not prepare to put action into vote during voting day, that lets live under PAP rules for the next 5 years without complainting… I hope we are not another whipping group for on May 7

Petersaid

1. WP must ask Goh Chok Tong how he is going to help the large group of citizens who lost a big chunk of their CPF money when the Govt allowed citizens to invest in shares with their CPF money in the 1990s. This was to make Singapore become the most invested nation in the world .
Lead astray by the Govt , this group of citizen finds that they do not have enough CPF funds for their retirement .
Since he said he is accoutable for his tenure when PM , and that the then Perm Sec. Ngiam Tong Dow had then vetoed the scheme , arguing that it would send most citizens to the slaughter house as they are not investing savvy.